Crumbling Walls
by ChiefBandit
Summary: This an AU about Teresa and Jane in High School. In this story Jane's not part of the circus and it's after Teresa's mother died.
1. Chapter 1

Teresa stepped into the grade 10 classroom and looked around; it was typical, old two person desks in the middle of the room surrounded by counters that had gas knobs and sinks. She scanned the already full room for a seat and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw an empty table in the back.

She sat down and didn't bother talking to anyone, there was no point. Instead, she let her mind wander to her brothers. She hoped they were okay but she knew after what they had been through they would never be normal again. That summer they had moved, and only one week after they had unpacked the unimaginable had happened – their mother had died in a car crash with a drunk driver. She shuddered remembering the months that followed; after her mom's death her dad had started drinking and it turned out he was a violent drunk and would have blackouts. He would come home before dinner and it started, anything would set him off. Teresa tried to always be in between her dad and her three little brothers so she bore the most bruises, cuts and once a broken arm. She touched her arm relieved to find it didn't hurt anymore. At the end of their summer they had decided to go to school to keep up a normal facade, Teresa would rather be beaten every night then have her and her brothers separated in the foster system. She was 16 now, only 2 more years until she could take them and move out.

Teresa looked up from her arm to see that the teacher had already started talking. She tried to concentrate but she found her mind wandering to worrying about her brothers. They were right- she did worry to much. She shook her head and tried to listen to the words.

"..And then I went to teachers college for three years and.." She looked down and took out her notepad to start sketching. She stopped when she heard a door open and a second voice start talking.

She looked up to see a boy with curly blonde hair smiling charmingly at the teacher explaining why he was late. He had bright blue eyes and judging from the way the girls were looking at him and the guys weren't laughing she guessed he was as charming as he looked. She rolled her eyes as the teacher let him off with a warning looking slightly swayed.

She was about to start sketching again when she realized the only seat left was beside her. She huffed out of frustration and moved her bag off the spot beside her and onto the floor before pulling her hair out from behind her ear to create a barrier between her and the person who was soon to sit beside her.

She heard the chair pull out and someone sit down before the teacher started talking about her life story again. She started to draw her old house. She had loved her old house – her old life. She hated this town, she hated her new house and she hated this place. Sometimes she wondered if remembering her old life was the only thing keeping her sane. She was brought back from her thoughts when she heard a confident voice from beside her.

"Hi, I'm Patrick Jane."

"Teresa." She replied curtly.

"What, I don't get a last name?" She heard the fake hurt in his voice.

"Nope."

Through the short conversation she didn't bother looking up and continued sketching. She paid no mind to the boy next to her and finished her rough sketch. She looked up in time to hear the last part of the teacher's speech.

"..So these are the seats you will be sitting in for the next few months so I would like you to spend a couple minutes to get to know your partners." The teacher finished and sat down to do attendance while the students started talking.

She decided it was better to confront her partner right away to show she really didn't care for small talk so she sat up to look at Patrick. She was startled momentarily at the intensity of his blue eyes as he searched her and broke eye contact. It was almost as if he was seeing right through her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat under his intense gaze.

"So, Patrick, why were you late?" She decided that was a good topic and she was relieved to see her words broke the searching look in his eyes as he thought of a response.

"Alarm didn't work, couldn't find anything to make my lunch with, dad wouldn't drive me – the usual. What's that on your arm?" He sped through what he had done but slowed down when his gaze settled on a purple bruise that was partly showing under the sleeve of her t-shirt.

"Fell." Teresa said pulling her sleeve down self-consciously and turning back to her sketch to end the conversation. She could feel his gaze on her but ignored it and concentrated on shading in the trees around the house.

"What are you drawing?" He asked curiously, all the previous intensity gone but Teresa doubted it was forgotten.

"My old house." She liked to answer in short replies, it gave little away and it was something she commonly used as a defence mechanism.

"I noticed you were new here." It wasn't a question. He regarded her for a second before adding, "You moved from Illinois this summer right?"

"How did you know that?" His statement had rattled her enough to turn and look at him quizzically.

"I can just tell." He replied simply and she rolled her eyes.

"Sure you can." He just smiled to himself in a way that annoyed her enough to look back at her sketch. They were silent for a few minutes and Teresa had almost forgotten his presence when he suddenly spoke.

"Would you like me to show you around the school?" She looked at him eyebrow raised but one look in his eyes and she knew he was being sincere. She bit her lip contemplating because in all honesty she had trouble finding this classroom this morning and she still hadn't even begun to look for her locker. He stayed silent and watched the emotions play across her face.

"Okay." Her voice was still unsure but at her acceptance he flashed a dazzling smile.

"Good. First of all, after this class, we will go find your locker." She drew her eyebrows together wondering how he had known this but shrugged it off with a smile and went back to working.


	2. Chapter 2

Patrick observed the girl beside him with interest. Truth be told he had gotten bored of the students at this school and had been hoping during the summer that some new and more interesting people would come along, and maybe his hope had been answered. The girl beside him had medium dark hair, blue eyes and seemed to be quite petite. He noticed the way she was isolating herself by turning away slightly and creating a barrier with her hair. She gave the general impression of being tough and uncaring but he could see the worry lines on her forehead and the way she held herself suggested that she had been forced to grow up too fast.

When she had spoken to him she had not seemed interested in him at all which was a strange change from people who usually loved his charm. He had noticed the bruise right away and the way she answered was obvious that she hadn't fallen. He connected the maturity and worry lines to the bruises and wondered how her situation at home was. She had been drawing her old house which such fondness that he wondered what had happened for her to move here. He was surprised when she agreed to let him show her around but he figured she probably didn't want to roam the halls alone.

He saw her tense up and turn around when she sensed his gaze studying her.

"What?" she asked irritation clearly sketched on her features.

"Nothing." he replied smoothly but continued staring at her.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked again clenching her teeth and holding her pencil tighter, all which did not go unnoticed by Patrick.

"There is nothing more interesting to do." he replied again watching how she got even more irritated, he repressed a smile and smirked instead at how easily she got frustrated.

"Well quit it and find something else to do." Teresa said through clenched teeth. Patrick decided to push her a little more just to see how far she would go.

"Any suggestions?" he asked innocently when she turned back to her paper. He saw her tense and turn towards him slowly.

"Why don't you go-" The bell cut off the rest of her statement but Patrick had a good guess as to what she had said. Teresa didn't bother looking at him again; she simply gathered her stuff and left angrily while Patrick's eyes followed her in amusement. Patrick gathered his things and ran to catch up to her in the hall.

"So when would you like your personal tour?" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"Never mind, I changed my mind, I don't need your help." she replied icily and pulled out her schedule to find her next class.

Teresa stared at her schedule and was looking for the class number when suddenly the paper wasn't in her hands anymore. She stared at her hands in shock for a moment before looking up at Patrick casually leaning against the opposite wall of the now empty hallways reading her schedule.

"Hey! You have last period with me." He remarked causally. Teresa saw red for a moment but took a deep breath and decided to try a tactic she tried on her brothers. She walked up to Patrick and held out her hand.

"Patrick, give me back the paper." she said looking straight into his eyes hers unwavering.

"Nope." he replied popping the 'p'.

"Right now Patrick, I'm serious." she said maintaining eye contact.

"As am I,"

"Now Patrick."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

She glanced up at the ceiling in irritation; she heard the bell ring signaling the next class was starting - great, now she was going to be late. She didn't even know what class she had next! She refused to beg so she tried something else.

Teresa walked up to Patrick until she was about a foot away and got ready. She went to punch him in the stomach and grab the paper but instead her fist never connected with his stomach and she found herself pinned against the wall with both hands.

Patrick's face was inches away from hers and she saw his pupils dilate. Her heart sped up slightly and she scolded it and tried to think of a way of escape. He breathed in her face for a moment before smirking.

"Try again." he released her arms and took a step back. She had taken enough of this.

"You know what keep it." she turned on her heel and headed for the stairwell.

"Where are you going?" his voice echoed questioningly in the stairwell.

"None of your business." Patrick looked in the direction she was headed.

"You don't have to go to the office to get a new one, all you have to do is ask for it back." he said smiling charmingly at her back. He saw her stop and turn around, through clenched teeth she muttered,

"Can I have my schedule back please?"

"That didn't sound very sincere." he pretended to pout. She sighed and wondered just how late she was going to be for her next class - whatever it was.

"Patrick, may I PLEASE have my schedule back." she muttered just loud enough for him to hear. He descended the couple of steps that separated them and pretended to ponder it for a moment.

"Well.. that wasn't the BEST apology but here." He dropped the piece of paper in her hand and looked up at her. He didn't even see her hand as she slapped him across the face but boy, did her feel it. He didn't have enough time to retaliate before she was already out the door headed to her next class angrily.

Patrick rubbed his cheek and smiled- she was going the wrong way. Patrick turned and headed towards his next class smiling, this year had gotten a whole lot more interresting.


End file.
